They noticed that the Ascending Platforms beneath their feet were suspended in mid-air.
Furthermore, these Ascending Platforms were paired together, distributing the more than a thousand young boys and girls into pairs.
"Only by defeating your assigned opponent will the Ascending Platform beneath your feet rise," the man in purple said coldly.
Everyone suddenly understood. No wonder the senior had said earlier that the Eastern Continent Grand Competition had only just officially begun.
Only by eliminating each other could they get closer to the Star Gate.
"Begin!"
The man in purple said indifferently.
In an instant, the young boys and girls on the Ascending Platforms in the air engaged in fierce battles.
"This format for the Eastern Continent Grand Competition is quite unique," Mu Qingqing remarked as she watched the youngsters' fights, unable to help but sigh.
"Hey, you brat, where are you looking? Your opponent is me!"
The young man in green on the same Ascending Platform as Mu Qingqing, seeing her staring at others, glared at her angrily.
"Oh, is that so?"
Mu Qingqing smiled faintly, ignoring the young man in green.
The young man in green's anger soared, his fists clenched, and he stared resentfully at Mu Qingqing.
"Hmph, let's see if you can still smile later!"
The young man in green said sinisterly, then charged towards Mu Qingqing.
However, after only a few steps, he was frozen into an ice sculpture by the Winter's Annihilation from the Four Seasons Art.
Mu Qingqing's Ascending Platform also moved up a distance.
The spectators in the Star Gazing Tower, looking at Mu Qingqing on the light screen, were all stunned.
"This young man is not simple. Compared to Ji Yuanlong and Nan Yunting, I have higher hopes for this little fellow!" a white-robed elder said with a smile, his gaze fixed on Mu Qingqing on the light screen, his eyes filled with admiration.
A woman in a red dress beside him sneered, "Hmph, he's just an unknown nobody. No matter how powerful he is, can he compare to Senior Brother Zhou Teng?"
Seeing that the white-robed elder was from the Heavenly Star Pavilion, he shook his head and said nothing.
The Heavenly Star Pavilion was the largest sect in the Eastern Continent, possessing immense power, so much so that even the Eastern Continent royal family treated them with courtesy.
Especially the reputation of the Seven Star Sword Venerable, which resounded throughout the Eastern Continent.
The woman in the red dress was the daughter of the Second Elder of the Heavenly Star Pavilion, named Ye Xiyue.
She had always looked down upon disciples of the Four Symbols Academy, and naturally, she also looked down upon Xin Ci, who came from the Four Symbols Academy.
Zhou Teng, whom Ye Xiyue mentioned as Senior Brother, also quickly dealt with his opponent on the Ascending Platform and rose a distance.
"Eh, isn't that the kid who humiliated me in Danling City?"
"Why is he participating in the Eastern Continent Grand Competition too?"
Zhou Teng noticed Mu Qingqing, his eyes narrowing.
He still vividly remembered the humiliation Mu Qingqing had caused him last time.
Seeing Mu Qingqing now, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"Hmph, this time, let's see how you die. It's perfect timing to settle the score from last time. I will surely grind your bones to ashes!"
As he and Mu Qingqing were not far apart, he estimated that after a few more fights, his Ascending Platform would connect with Mu Qingqing's.
Then he could brutally torment and kill her.
Thinking of this, a sinister smile crept onto Zhou Teng's lips.
Meanwhile, Mu Qingqing on her side wanted to reach the Star Gate quickly to investigate the Star Emperor's Small World.
In a few swift moves, she eliminated several competitors.
Mu Qingqing's Ascending Platform began to rise faster and faster.
But at this moment, her Ascending Platform finally connected with Zhou Teng's.
Zhou Teng's eyes lit up when he saw this.
Then he let out a cold snort, "Hmph, you trash. Last time, you only defeated two elders from my Heavenly Star Pavilion with Zhao Qing's secret help."
"This time, you won't be so lucky."
"Hahahahaha..." Zhou Teng said, unable to help but throw his head back and laugh.
At this moment, Mu Qingqing looked bewildered, blinked, and asked, "Who are you?"
"You're asking me who I am?!"
Zhou Teng was stunned.
He had expected Mu Qingqing to remember him, but this kid had completely forgotten him.
Could it be that in his eyes, he was just an unknown nobody?!
In an instant, Zhou Teng became enraged and simultaneously shouted:
"Trash, I am Zhou Teng, the Young Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Star Pavilion! You actually forgot about me?!"
"Whether you're Zhou Teng, Bai Teng, or even if you call yourself Shen Teng, it has nothing to do with me!"
In Mu Qingqing's original memory, Zhou Teng was merely a minor character, so she hadn't paid any attention to him.
"Hey, Passerby Teng, quickly move aside. Don't block my Ascending Platform. Be careful, or I'll hit you!"
Mu Qingqing said, raising her fist and waving it a couple of times in the air.
Mu Qingqing's actions completely enraged Zhou Teng.
This was utterly blatant contempt.
"Trash, you just wait! Later, I'll make you cry and beg for mercy!"
Zhou Teng gritted his teeth and roared.
The spectators in the Star Gazing Tower, seeing the exchange between Zhou Teng and Mu Qingqing, all shook their heads.
Liu Yuanhao also looked helpless and worried, sighing softly, "Alas, the situation isn't good. Xin Ci has encountered Zhou Teng so soon."
Although the Heavenly Star Pavilion hadn't produced many outstanding disciples in recent years, Zhou Teng, as the Young Pavilion Master, had received the full cultivation of the Heavenly Star Pavilion.
He was currently ranked thirteenth on the Eastern Continent Prodigy Ranking.
If Xin Ci lost, his Ascending Platform would descend significantly, making it difficult to return to its original position.
Zhou Teng roared ferociously, and more than thirty flying daggers shot out from his sleeves simultaneously.
Each flying dagger was a top-grade spiritual artifact, extremely sharp.
The flying daggers formed a circular formation in mid-air and enveloped Mu Qingqing's Ascending Platform.
The sharp aura carried by the flying daggers was vaguely felt even by the spectators near the Star Gazing Tower.
"Zhou Teng's flying daggers are quite powerful. He truly is the Young Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Star Pavilion; his strength is indeed extraordinary!"
"Xin Ci is in trouble now!"
The spectators couldn't help but discuss.
"How is it? Are you afraid? Do you want to beg for mercy? I am the number one prodigy in the Eastern Continent, hahahaha!"
"Oh."
Mu Qingqing (┯_┯)
"Hah, cough cough... What?"
Before Zhou Teng could finish his maniacal laughter, he was suddenly choked into a violent coughing fit. Then, he looked up with wide eyes at Mu Qingqing.
For some reason, he felt that Mu Qingqing's single "Oh" was extremely mocking, as if to say, you're nothing!
Zhou Teng was driven mad, but the flying daggers around Mu Qingqing were suddenly knocked away one by one.
In the next second, Mu Qingqing appeared behind him.
But as Zhou Teng turned around, what greeted him was a brick!
"Splat!"
The brick heavily struck Zhou Teng's face, instantly making him dumbfounded.
His entire head went dim, stars danced before his eyes, and he lost his balance, falling onto the Heavenly Ladder below. The fall almost knocked Zhou Teng unconscious.
"Ah, it hurts so much, it's killing me!"
Zhou Teng felt as if all his bones were about to shatter, his face contorted as he let out a pained cry.
Meanwhile, Mu Qingqing stood on the Ascending Platform, looking at Zhou Teng who had fallen.